Book-rest



(No Model.)

J. R. LAWSHE. BOOK REST.-

No. 479,888. Patented Aug; 2,1892,

- WITNESSES:

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ATENT FFICEe JACOB LAIVSHE, OF NEWVARK, NEW JERSEY.

BOOK-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,888, dated August 2, 1892.

Application filed May 5, 1892. Serial No. 431,876. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB R. LAWSHE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Rests; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in book-holders adapted to be used in connection with a chair, bed, or other article of furniture; and the invention consists of the novel arrangements and combinations of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, and finally embodied in the clauses of the claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which similar letters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of part of a chair with my improved book-holder attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a bracket used in connection with myimprovement detached from the book-holding shelf or support. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same in its tilted position and in position in the upper end of a swinging rod adapted to be arranged in a bracket or collar attached to a chair. Fig. 4. is a vertical section of the bracket, showing the ratchet portion of the same in side elevation, Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the bracket, taken on line min Fig. 3, looking downward. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a finger-piece used in connection with the bracket. Fig. 7 is a wedge connected by a chain with the book-rest, adapted to be placed between the leaves of a book to keep the same in their open positions. Fig. 8 is a View of a clamping device for securing the swinging rod on which the book-rest is arranged to the leg of an ordinary chair, and Fig. 9 is a support adapted to be secured to the bottom of a chair or to a bed.

In said drawings, 1) is a suitable supporting device adapted to be secured to the side of a chair or other piece of furniture, as shown in Fig. 1, being provided with a sleeve 1) and a set screw Ad justably secured in said sleeve 1) is a rod a, which may be suitably bent, substantially as shown, and is provided at its upper end with a sleeve a, as shown in Fig. 3, in which is arranged a supportingbracket 0, provided with the book-shelf C, as clearly illustrated in Fig. I. Said bracket, as will be seen from Figs. 2, 3, and 4, consists, essentially, of a suitable base 0, provided with screw-holes c for attaching it to the bookshelf O. Said base is also provided with two doWnwardly-projectiug ears which are perforated, and between said cars is pivotally arranged the ratchet portion d of a small supporting-rod (Z, provided with a flange C1 and the neck d adapted to fit into and slide in the sleeve a on the rod a,. as-:shown in Fig. 3. Said ratchet portion d is provided in its periphery withla suitable number of saw-outs or cutaway/portions d, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. Said downwardly-projecting ears 0 extend back, as will be seen from Figs. 3, 4, and 5,being connected, as at c, to form a chamber 0 and also formed in one side with a recessed portion and a slot or opening 0 in the other side. Pivotally arranged in said recessed portion 0 and extending through said opening 0 is a finger-piece e, the edge e of which can be made to project into any one of the saw-cuts d in the ratchet port-ion d, and the support 0 and its shelf are thereby held in any desired inclined position. The back of said fingerpiece has a pin 6 and arranged in said chamher 0 and engaging with said pin e is a coiled spring 70, which normally forces the edge e of the finger-piece against the peripheral edge of the ratchet portion (1 and into the recessed portions therein, as will be evident from Fig. 5.

In order to change the angle of inclination of the book-shelf 0, all that is necessary is to push upon the projecting end of the fingerpiece 6, which causes it to swing in its pivotchamber 0 and whereby the edge e is removed from engagement with the saw-cut on the ratchet portion d, and the bracket or support 0 and its shelf 0 can be changed to stand at different angles, the edge e of the fingerpiece 6 having been forced into another sawcut or recess d in the ratchet portion cl, as will be understood.

In order to limit the swinging movement,

. limits the movement of rotation, as will be understood.

Of course it will be understood that I may use any suitable device b for arranging the swinging rod a at the side of a chair or other piece of furniture.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 8 is for attaching the book-rest to the cylindrical leg of a chair, and consists of two pivotally-connected clamping-arms g and g, provided with a clamping-screw One of said arms, as g, has a sleeve 9 at one end, in which the swinging rod a can be adj ustablysecured by means of the set-screw g".

In lieu of the supporting devices illustrated in Figs. 1 and S, I may use the plate h, (shown in Fig. 9,) which can be screwed to the bottom of the seat of a chair or bed, as will be clearly understood from said Fig. 9.

As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 7, I use in connection with myimproved book-rest a device i, which may be placed between the leaves of the open book to retain the same in their open positions. Said devicet' is preferably \vedgeshaped, as shown, and is provided with a suitable chain 71 for attaching the wedge to the shelf 0. The curved sides 1' of the wedge are placed between the rounded portions of the leaves of the book, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby the book is retained in its open position.

The book-rest, as will be clearly seen from the drawings, can be adjusted vertically and the book itself can be swung around in a horizontal plane, bringing the same into the proper position in front of the person sitting in the chair.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a book rest, the combination of a support adapted to be secured to a chair or other article of furniture, a rod a, adjustably arranged in said support, a bracket or support fitted to the upper end of said rod, said bracket consisting,essentially, of a plate 0, having ears 0 a chambered portion 0 a pivot-charnber c, and an opening 0 a ratchet portion (1, pivotally arranged between said ears and provided with a stem for arranging the same in a sleeve-like portion in said rod a, and a finger-piece 6, adapted to engage with saw-cuts in said ratchet portion (1, said finger-piece being pivotally arranged in said pivot-chamber cand projecting through said opening 0 and a spring arranged in said chamber 0 engaging with the back of said finger-piece, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a book-rest, the combination ofasupport adapted to be secured to achair or other like article of furniture, a rod a, adjustably arranged in said support, a bracket or support fitted to the upper end of said rod, said bracket consisting, essentially, of a plate 0, having ears 0 and stop c projecting from one of said ears, a ratchet portion cl, pivotally arranged between said ears and provided with a stem for arranging the same in a sleeve-like portion in said rod (1, a slot orcutaway portion (Z in said ratchet portion (1, into which said stop d projects to limit the movement thereof, and a spring-actuated finger-piece adapted to engage with saw-cuts in said ratchet portion (1 to tilt the bracket at different angles, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a book-rest,the combination of a support adapted to be secured to a chairor other article of furniture, a rod a, adjustably arranged in said support, a bracket or support consisting, essentially, of a plate 0, having ears 0, a stop 0 projecting from one of said cars, a chambered portion 0", a pivot-chamber o, and an opening 0 a ratchet portion (1', pivotally arranged between said ears and provided with a stem for arranging the same in a sleeve-like portion in said rod (L, a slot orcutaway portion in said ratchet portion (1, into which said stop 0 projects, to limit themovcinent thereof, and a finger-piece c, adapted to engage with saw-cuts in said ratchet portion (1', said finger-piece being pivot-ally arranged in said pivot chamber 0 and projecting through said opening 0 and a spring arranged in said chamber a engaging with the back of said fingenpiece, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth aboveI have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of May, 1892.

JACOB R. LAIVSHE.

Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, WM. II. CANFIELD, Jr. 

